Composite panel arrangement

ABSTRACT

A frame of individual rectangular elements meeting at their corners to form opening mounts rectangular panels by means of bolts held in the openings and having at their heads spring members that enter, and releasably lock in, recesses provided in the corners of each panel.

ited States Patent Schweitzer et a1,

1 Jan. 18, 1972 COMPOSITE PANEL ARRANGEMENT Inventors: Hans E.Schweitzer; Ernst Huber, both of Wettingen, Switzerland Assignee: 1-1.E. Schweitzer AG, Wettingen, Switzerland Filed: June 5, 1970 Appl. No.:43,678

Foreign Application Priority Data Novv 10, 1969 Switzerland ..16622/69US. Cl .52/489, 35/54, 52/58] Int. Cl. l ..G09b 29/00 Field of Search..52/263, 126, 489, 581, 663,

l 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,722,659 7/1929 Clark.35/54 2,201,129 5/1940 Welland "52/509 2,293,331 8/1942 Dahlberg..52/387 3,005,645 10/1961 Leverette... 40/142 R 3,434,257 3/1969 Sakuma..52/387 Primary Examiner-John E. Murtagh Attorney-Michael S. Striker [57] ABSTRACT A frame of individual rectangular elements meeting at theircomers to form opening mounts rectangular panels by means of bolts heldin the openings and having at their heads spring members that enter, andreleasably lock in, recesses provided in the corners of each panel.

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sin/3T H0654 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to acomposite panel structure comprising polygonal panels fastened to aframe of which the frame elements have meeting corner portions.

The composite panel structure is particularly intended to be used inmonitoring and control stations to monitor and control industrialprocesses or the power grid of a city, for example. The mosaic stones,"which are injection molded ofa suitable synthetic plastic material, andare usually to 50 mm. square, or else 25X50 mm., in size, have on theirexposed surface the symbol of the element they represent. A completepanel therefore shows schematically an entire manufacturing process, forexample, and composes a kind of mosaic circuit diagram. Moreover,switching units and indicators, such as control lamps and current andvoltmeters, can be mounted in the panels to be visible to the personnel,who thereby can monitor and control that which is schematicallyrepresented on the panel.

In the prior art there are described several solutions to the problem offixing rectangular mosaic stones to the frame ofa mosaic circuitdiagram. The underside of the stones have four milled grooves, Z-shapedin cross section and concentric to a respective corner edge. Thesesolutions employ two springs and two round guide bolts at diagonallyopposite corners ofa frame unit, the springs locking into theaforementioned grooves. Two guide bolts engage the lower edge of thecorresponding groove and prevent the mosaic stone from turning.

This anchoring arrangement has the disadvantage that the mosaic stonesare rather loosely held on the mounting frame, because they are held atonly two diagonally opposite corners and positioned by only twodiagonally opposite guide bolts. Particularly loosely held are thosemosaic stones located along the edge, since the springs at the edge areonly slightly tensioned.

A further disadvantage is that the grooves extend arcuately, so that thecost of manufacture of the mosaic stone is increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to produce acomposite panel structure of which the mosaic stones are held andpositioned at each of their corners.

Another object of the invention is a composite panel structure of whichthe arrangement for anchoring the mosaic stones is relatively simple inconstruction and inexpensive to manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is a composite panel structurefor monitoring and control stations and of which the mosaic stones areheld and positioned at each oftheir corners.

Broadly, the invention embraces a composite'panel structure comprising alatticelike frame including a plurality of frame elements having meetingcorner portions, a plurality of polygonal, usually square, panelsadjacent to one side of the frame and having corner portions overlyingthe corner portions of adjacent frame elements, the corner portions ofthe panels having recesses that extend substantially diagonally inwardlyfrom the respective corner portions and each having a wider portion anda narrower portion disposed between the respective wider portion and theone side of the frame, and coupling means separably securing the panelsto the frame, including substantially annular elastic retaining membersmounted at the meeting corner portions of the frame elements andreceived in the wider portions of the adjacent recesses, the panelsbeing separable from the frame in response to deformation of theretaining members during passage through the narrower portions of therespective recesses.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of the mosaiccircuit diagram of the invention, with some of the mosaic stonesremoved;

FIG. 2 isa detail on expanded scale of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in cross section taken along line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view, corresponding to FIG. 3, ofa third embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the third embodiment, with the mosaic stonesremoved;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are views, respectively corresponding to FIGS. 4 and 5,ofa fourth embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a top view of a fifthembodiment, with the mosaic stonesremoved; I

FIG. 9 is a view in section taken along line IX-IX of FIG, 8, with thestones in place;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are views, corresponding respectively to FIGS. 8 and 9,ofa sixth embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a plan view ofacomposite, mosaic, panel structure having a mounting frame 1 composed ofindividual rectangular units 2 to form the Iatticelike frame. Theseunits are formed by rectangular frame elements 3, which are placedtogether so that their corner portions meet; and a design is formed likethat of the squares on a chess board. The corners of the units 2 areadjacent the axes 4, which extend perpendicular to the plane defined bythe mounting frame 1. Only two frame elements 3 are adjacent each axis4. Each element consists of four sidewalls 30 rigidly connectedtogether. These walls are also perpendicular to the plane of theframe 1. The two elements 3 adjacent an axis 4 are securely heldtogether by a screw or bolt 5 and a nut 6, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.Each corner of a frame element 3 incorporates a concave cavity 7 next tothe axis 4. From one end of each cavity 7 projects a curved tongue 8that partly surrounds the neighboring axis 4. As shown in the structureof FIGS. 1 and 2, the tongues 8 project between the axis 4 and theconcavity 7 of the diagonally opposite frame element 3, so that thetongues of two frame elements form a socket, or an opening 9 for a bolt5. Between the cavity 7 and the surface of the neighboring tongue 8, onthe one hand, and between the diameter of the bolt 5 and that of theopening 9, on the other, sufficient tolerance is provided to permitadjustment for imprecise dimensions of the frame elements 3 and/or ofthe mosaic stones 18. FIG. 1 shows that diagonally opposite tongues 8 ofan element 3 are precisely symmetrical about the center of the element.Two cooperating tongues of diagonally opposite elements 3 are pointsymmetrical about their common axis 4.

The tongues 8 surround the axes 4 through an arc of nearly The concavecavity 7 and the corresponding tongue 8, of the same element 3, togethersurround the adjacent axis 4 through an arc of approximately 270. When abolt 5 is placed into the opening 9, the two tongues 8 ofthat openingsurround the latter in such a manner that the two frame elements 3 thusconnected together cannot be separated, irrespective of whether the nut6 is threaded onto the bolt and tightened down. As a consequence, theframe 1 cannot collapse if the bolts 5 loosen. Each bolt, or malecoupling elements, has a head 10, and a threaded shaft 11 with a nut, orfemale coupling element 6. The latter preferably extends beyond thelength of the shaft 11, so that switching or indicating units can bemounted in the exposed part of the threaded bore of the nut. Theunderside of the bolt head 10 had an annular knife edge 12, concentricto the axis 4, and which is forced into the two tongues 8 underneath.Between the nut 6 and the tongue 8 is arranged a ring, or annular disc13, which has an annular knife edge 14 that is symmetrical to the knifeedge 12 to a plane passing midway between these two knife edges. The

knife edge 14 is forced from below into the two tongues 8 positionedabove. In plan view the bolt head 10 is a square, as shown in FIG. 2.Each sidewall 15 of the bolt head extends parallel to the lower edge 16of the recess 17 in a respective one of the four adjacent mosaic stones18 meeting at their corners that coincide with the respective axis 4.The end walls of the recesses 17 are S-shaped in cross section, as canbe seen in FIG. 3, which shows the end walls of two contiguous recesses.The lower edge 16 of a recess contacts the opposite sidewall 15, whichpositions the edge 16, so that the bolt head 10 serves as a guide means.Since each mosaic stone has at each corner a recess 17 of which the endwall makes an angle of45 with the adjacent sides of the mosaic stone,and since at each corner of a unit 2 there is provided a bolt withsidewalls 15, each mosaic stone 18 is held in position at each of itsfour corners by a respective sidewall 15.

The S-shaped end wall of each recess 17, and thus the edge 16, arerectilinear, as a consequence of which the milling of the recess 17 issimplified. Since the recess is straight, the diameter of the millingcutter is unimportant.

The S-shaped end wall of a recess forms a wedge-shaped surface 220 nearthe bottom of the recess, so that the mosaic stone presses relativelylightly on the spring 21.

The head of the bolt 5 is elongated by a projection 19 that terminatesin a short pin 20. The latter centers the spring 21, which is mounted onthe projection and connected thereto in any suitable and known manner.The spring 21 consists ofa dish-shaped, curved piece of spring steel andacts resiliently in directions extending radially from the correspondingaxis 4.

In accordance with another embodiment, the spring 21 can be an annular,elastic, solid body of any suitable material, such as an elastomer.

A mosaic stone 18 is secured to a unit 2 by placing the stone over theunit, with the four corner recesses 17 of the stone in registry with thecorresponding springs 21; whereupon the stone 18 is pressed against theframe 1, causing the respective wedge-shaped surface 220 to compress thespring 21 until the latter is pushed behind the edge 16 and isreleasably locked in the recess 17. When locked, the spring 21, as shownin FIG. 3, presses against the inclined end wall surface 22 of therecess 17. The mosaic stone 18 is removed simply by pulling on it, sothat the end wall surface 22 compresses the spring 21 until the latterhas been pulled free ofthe edge 16.

FIGS. 4 to 7 show third and fourth embodiments, wherein the same orequivalent parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and will notbe further described.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bent, dishshaped spring 21is replaced by an annular spring 121. The bolt head 110 incorporates aperipheral groove 23 in which the spring 121 is held. The opening 24 inthe spring 121 is positioned opposite one ofthe corners of therectangular bolt head 110, so that a respective portion of the springprojects, and acts radially, beyond each sidewall 15.

In the fourth embodiment, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the peripheral groove23 is wider. The spring 221, an elastomeric annulus, round in crosssection, is held in this groove and projects approximately one-half ofits cross section beyond the middle of a sidewall of the bolt head 210.As a consequence, the spring 221 forms a radially acting spring in theneighborhood of the sidewalls 15.

FIGS. 8 and 9, which illustrate the fifth embodiment, show two frameelements 3 with their sidewalls 30, of which latter a respective cornerof each element meets the corner of the other element at the axis 4,which is perpendicular to the plane defined by the mounting frame 1.These two frame elements 3 are connected together by a bolt 5 and a nut6. The mosaic stones 18 are releasably held to the frame 1 constructedof the individual elements 3. The bolt head 310, having the positioning,or guide, walls 15 for the edge 16 of the recess 17, is constructed as aguide means. On the bolt head 310 is held a radially acting, cup-shaped,spring member 321 that rests with its bottom 25 on the bolt head 310.The spring 321 is preferably made of synthetic plastic material. Thebottom 25 incorporates a centering hole 26, through which projects acentering pin 27 that is integral with the bolt head 310 and extendsalong the central axis of the latter. A quick lock spring 28 is pusheddown over the centering pin 27 to hold the spring 321 in place.

The bolt head 310 comprises, near the knife edges of the sidewalls 15,four projections, or posts, 29 that extend parallel to the axis 4 andextend the sidewalls 15 to above the spring 321. The radially resilientwall of the spring 321 projects out from between the posts 29. Betweenthese posts the outer surface of the spring wall has more or lesssemicylindrical bulges 31 that releasably lock with the S-shaped endwalls of the recesses 17. The resilience of the spring is improved byfour slots 32, parallel to the axis 4, provided in the spring wall inthe region of the posts 29. By positioning these slots behind the poststhere is gained the advantage that the radially resilient wall cannot bepressed outwards or downwards when the mosaic stone 18 is set in place.

In the last embodiment, shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the wall of the spring42] is beaded along its portions between the posts 29, therebyeliminating the bulges 31 of the previous embodiment. The bottom of thespring is constructed as quick lock spring, making unnecessary anyadditional member for holding the spring 421 onto the guiding bolt head310.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofcomposite panel arrangements differing from the types described above.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range ofequivalence of the followingclaims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims.

1. A composite panel structure, comprising a latticelike frame includinga plurality of frame elements having meeting corner portions; aplurality of polygonal panels adjacent to one side of said frame andhaving corner portions overlying the corner portions of adjacent frameelements, the corner portions of said panels being provided withrecesses extending substantially diagonally inwardly from the respectivecorner portions and each having a wider portion and a narrower portiondisposed between the respective wider portion and said one side of theframe; and coupling means separably securing said panels to said frame,including substantially annular elastic retaining members mounted at themeeting corner portions ofsaid frame elements and received in the widerportions of the adjacent recesses, said panels being separable from theframe in response to deformation of said retaining members duringpassage through the narrower portions of the respective recesses.

2. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 1, wherein sadrecesses are S-shaped in cross section.

3. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 1, wherein each saidcoupling means further includes guide means mounted between each of saidelastic retaining members and the meeting corner portions of said frame,said guide means having four sidewalls that respectively engage alongtheir lengths the narrow portion of a respective one of said recesses.

4. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 3, wherein saidretaining members and said guide means are connected together.

5. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 4, wherein each saidretaining member comprises a dish-shaped body consisting ofspring steel.

6. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 4, wherein each saidretaining member comprises a solid, resilient, externally dish-shaped,body.

7. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 4, wherein saidretaining members are annular springs, and said guide means has acontinuous peripheral groove in said sidewalls thereof to hold arespective one of said annular springs.

8. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 7, wherein each ofsaid annular springs defines in cross section a single round body.

9. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 3, wherein each ofsaid recesses defines a bottom, said frame defines a plane, said guidemeans and the meeting corner portions of said frame elements definesubstantially coincidental axes that are substantially perpendicular tosaid plane, and four comer portions are defined by the four sidewalls ofsaid guide means; and at each said guide means corner portion aprojection extending substantially parallel to said coincidental axesand towards said recess bottom; and wherein said retaining members arecup-shaped and each defines a bottom portion that rests on a respectiveguide means and within the area defined by said four projections, andeach of said retaining members further defines an annular elastic wallthat projects from between said projections and into said wider portionsof the adjacent said recesses.

10. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 9,

wherein said elastic wall has at least one slot parallel to saidcoincidental axes.

11. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 10, wherein saidelastic wall has four said slots spaced apart.

12. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 11, wherein eachsaid guide means has a centering pin substantially coaxial with saidcoincidental axes and extending towards said recess bottom, and a holein said bottom portion of each said retaining member engaged by arespective said centering pin.

13. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 12, including anindividual elastic locking means engaging each said centering pin tohold a respective one of said retaining members in place.

14. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 12, wherein saidretaining members consist of metal, and said bottom portion thereofincorporates locking means that cooperate with a respective saidcentering pin to hold the corresponding one of said retaining members inplace.

15. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 9, wherein theelastic wall of said retaining members has pro jections that extend frombetween said guide means projections and releasably lock with saidrecesses.

1. A composite panel structure, comprising a latticelike frame includinga plurality of frame elements having meeting corner portions; aplurality of polygonal panels adjacent to one side of said frame andhaving corner portions overlying the corner portions of adjacent frameelements, the corner portions of said panels being provided withrecesses extending substantially diagonally inwardly from the respectivecorner portions and each having a wider portion and a narrower portiondisposed between the respective wider portion and said one side of theframe; and couPling means separably securing said panels to said frame,including substantially annular elastic retaining members mounted at themeeting corner portions of said frame elements and received in the widerportions of the adjacent recesses, said panels being separable from theframe in response to deformation of said retaining members duringpassage through the narrower portions of the respective recesses.
 2. Acomposite panel structure as defined in claim 1, wherein sad recessesare S-shaped in cross section.
 3. A composite panel structure as definedin claim 1, wherein each said coupling means further includes guidemeans mounted between each of said elastic retaining members and themeeting corner portions of said frame, said guide means having foursidewalls that respectively engage along their lengths the narrowportion of a respective one of said recesses.
 4. A composite panelstructure as defined in claim 3, wherein said retaining members and saidguide means are connected together.
 5. A composite panel structure asdefined in claim 4, wherein each said retaining member comprises adish-shaped body consisting of spring steel.
 6. A composite panelstructure as defined in claim 4, wherein each said retaining membercomprises a solid, resilient, externally dish-shaped, body.
 7. Acomposite panel structure as defined in claim 4, wherein said retainingmembers are annular springs, and said guide means has a continuousperipheral groove in said sidewalls thereof to hold a respective one ofsaid annular springs.
 8. A composite panel structure as defined in claim7, wherein each of said annular springs defines in cross section asingle round body.
 9. A composite panel structure as defined in claim 3,wherein each of said recesses defines a bottom, said frame defines aplane, said guide means and the meeting corner portions of said frameelements define substantially coincidental axes that are substantiallyperpendicular to said plane, and four corner portions are defined by thefour sidewalls of said guide means; and at each said guide means cornerportion a projection extending substantially parallel to saidcoincidental axes and towards said recess bottom; and wherein saidretaining members are cup-shaped and each defines a bottom portion thatrests on a respective guide means and within the area defined by saidfour projections, and each of said retaining members further defines anannular elastic wall that projects from between said projections andinto said wider portions of the adjacent said recesses.
 10. A compositepanel structure as defined in claim 9, wherein said elastic wall has atleast one slot parallel to said coincidental axes.
 11. A composite panelstructure as defined in claim 10, wherein said elastic wall has foursaid slots spaced 90* apart.
 12. A composite panel structure as definedin claim 11, wherein each said guide means has a centering pinsubstantially coaxial with said coincidental axes and extending towardssaid recess bottom, and a hole in said bottom portion of each saidretaining member engaged by a respective said centering pin.
 13. Acomposite panel structure as defined in claim 12, including anindividual elastic locking means engaging each said centering pin tohold a respective one of said retaining members in place.
 14. Acomposite panel structure as defined in claim 12, wherein said retainingmembers consist of metal, and said bottom portion thereof incorporateslocking means that cooperate with a respective said centering pin tohold the corresponding one of said retaining members in place.
 15. Acomposite panel structure as defined in claim 9, wherein the elasticwall of said retaining members has projections that extend from betweensaid guide means projections and releasably lock with said recesses.